Pitching coach House helps 49ers’ Alex Smith rearm

Last year, Alex Smith had the best season of his career under the guidance of Jim Harbaugh, a former NFL quarterback hailed for his ability to coach players at that position.

Now, in an effort to take the next step in 2012, Smith has teamed with Tom House, baseball’s version of the 49ers‘ head coach.

A former major-league pitcher with a doctorate in sports psychology, House, 65, is best known as a professorial pitching coach who has counseled legends such as Nolan Ryan and Randy Johnson. His expertise on the science of throwing led him to start working with NFL quarterbacks about a decade ago, and his pupils have included New England’s Tom Brady and New Orleans’ Drew Brees.

On the recommendation of Brees, Smith spent a week with House in late March at the Rod Dedeaux Research and Baseball Institute at USC along with Brady, Raiders quarterback Carson Palmer and the Chiefs’ Matt Cassel.

“He did really well,” said House, a volunteer pitching coach at USC. “If he was a pitcher, which is my expertise, I would have given him an ‘A’ for not only his attention, but his capacity to learn.”

The purpose of Smith’s visit was to clean up his throwing mechanics and improve the strength of his right shoulder. Smith had surgeries on his throwing shoulder in 2007 and ’08, and House said the procedures and Smith’s flawed mechanics were related.

Smith had subtly altered his motion after his surgeries, most notably shifting his head to the left as he threw. Smith was using his head as a type of lever to compensate for a lack of strength in his throwing shoulder. House said Smith had manipulated his motion in an effort to find a proper release point.

“The cool thing is he’s thrown perfectly in his life before – before he hurt his shoulder,” House said. “It was just a matter of rediscovering what he did before his initial surgeries.”

House used three-dimensional video analysis, breaking down Smith’s form at a thousand frames per second, to examine the position of his head, hips, shoulders and arms when he threw. The video sessions were held inside USC’s batting cage.

Smith said he emerged with a “healthier throwing motion,” but his work wasn’t limited to his right arm.

“(I was) working on my drops, being more efficient with my movement,” Smith said. “Any time you can do that and continue to be more efficient in your movement, you’re going to be a better player.”

House devised a strength and throwing plan that complements the work Smith is doing with the 49ers. House gave Smith exercises, many resistance-based, designed to increase the strength and range of motion in his right shoulder. Since Smith’s visit, House has consulted with 49ers strength and conditioning coach Mark Uyeyama.

House hasn’t spoken with Harbaugh, but the 49ers’ head coach said Smith’s work at USC is a reason he’s made “some really good, dramatic improvements” in the offseason. The work has continued during the 49ers’ voluntary offseason workout program.

“We’re getting out here on the grass and working on the drop, working on some ball position, some ball carry and throwing motion, as well,” Harbaugh said.

Harbaugh doesn’t know House personally, but he’s aware of his work with quarterbacks through his friendship with Ravens offensive coordinator Cam Cameron, who was Harbaugh’s quarterbacks coach at the University of Michigan from 1985 to ’86.

As the Chargers’ offensive coordinator, it was Cameron who suggested House branch out and work with quarterbacks. As a result, Brees, then playing for San Diego, visited House in 2003. Cameron and Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco also visited House in 2010.

Brees has cited House as one of the reasons for the upward trajectory of his career, but the former pitching coach for the Rangers, Astros and Padres remains best known for his work in baseball circles.

Much-maligned Giants pitcher Barry Zito spent the past winter working with House and has a 2.21 ERA in his first six starts.

Like Zito, Smith has endured his share of abuse from Bay Area fans during his career. Will they share another similarity and benefit in 2012 from their work with a legendary pitching coach?

In Smith’s case, House said the early signs are promising.

“The only reason he would get back to me is if he was having problems,” House said. “And I haven’t heard from him, so he must be fairly pleased about what’s going on.”